Don't Mention It
by CrypticSweetTalk
Summary: Still in mourning, Kiba has to find a date. The least likely person turns out to be his perfect girl. Kiba's pov.


I heard slammin' at the door, then Akumaru's bark echos in the livin' room. Great. I roll my eyes 'n' growl. Give me a break! As if gettin' back from a month long mission was tirin', Tsunade made me take on a petty C rank mission as soon as I got back. Besides, I'm a jonin 'n' I hate baby-sittin' genin brats. They never listen 'n' they always run off, thinkin' they're always right. Damn idiots.

The door bell continues to ring. I shift all my weight to my right side 'n' sigh, maybe if I ignored him long enough the asshole at the door would leave. I close my eyes 'n' breath through my nose. "Go away, go away, go away", I growl softly every time I hear a fist slam onto the front door. Finally the poundin' stops, my apartment is flooded with silence. I lay on my back, stretch out my limbs, 'n' grin to myself. Success.

Then I hear Akumaru bark again, only this time it's a loud defensive bark comin' from the balcony. He's tellin' me we have an intruder. I haul ass out of bed and rush into the livin' room, knocking a half empty glass of water, discarded energy bar wrapper, 'n' a book over the table. Once jumpin' over Ma's old couch I wish I hadn't even bothered gettin' up from the stacks of old mattresses.

Naruto is on the other side of the glass slidin' door, beggin' Akumaru to hush up, 'n' now that Akumaru recognizes him, he's scratchin' at the door. Somethin' inside me makes me want to throw Naruto off the second floor balcony.

"Akumaru." I call my companion's attention. "Leave that idiot alone." Naruto noticed I was out of bed 'n' is now bangin' at the door, I can hear a muffled "Let me in." I walk to the door and stare for a few seconds, fakin' a confused look. "What?" Naruto mouths his last few words. I tilt my head to the side like Akumaru does when he doesn't understand. "Huh?" The Knuckle-head Ninja points at the locked door handle, moves his index finger up 'n' down, makin' the motion to indicate me to unlock the door. "Whaaat?" I scratch my head.

He yells out loud, "**Open the door!**" I fake a "oh!" expression 'n' proceed to walking back into my room. "Wait, wait, wait!" Naruto bangs on the glass so hard that I swear I can hear it crackin'. I turn around 'n' snarl at him, "**What!**. Naruto looks startled for a second, then grins, lovin' that he can work my nerves so well. "Let me in!" he yells again. I reluctantly walk to the glass door, unlock it, 'n' slide it open. "What do you want?" I ask slumpin' onto the lumpy couch. Naruto crashes onto the couch. I glare at him, it's the only way Ma has showcased any positive feelings towards me, for becoming a jonin 'n' movin' out 'n' bein' a man 'n' all that crap. I kinda took it as a small token of love, too. This old, beaten, lumpy couch. She told me to move it out to my apartment 'n' think of it as her way of showin' support, 'n' so I do. He grins at me, "Sorry." I roll my eyes and growl, once more. "Anyways," he starts, "I need a favor."

I slam my palm onto my face. Not again. "What do you want?"

"Well," he starts, not sure of how to put it I'm sure, "I kinda got Hinata to agree to going out on a date with me."

"Okay, what does that have to do with me?" I cut in, "Do you need me to suggest where to take her?"

"No."

"Then?"

"She can only go if..."

"I have to be your wing man?" I hate when he drags things out.

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Aasu." Naruto's voice is small.

"What?" I slam my palm down on the coffee table Naruto's feet rest. Aasu is Hinata's unattractive civilian friend. Not only is she unattractive but she's kinda too dumb for me. One of the few times I've talked to her she said, _"It seems to be getting dark an hour earlier. The vampires won."_ I mean I'm no Einstein, but I'm pretty sure daylight savin' time contributes to that.

I glare at Naruto. "I won't do it."

Naruto's lips twitch. "Please!"

"No"

"Please"

"No"

"Please, please, please."

"No. No...No."

"Please!" Naruto starts jumpin' on the couch.

"I said no!" I knock him off the couch. He lands on his face. I can hear him moanin', "Please"

"Noooo." I call at him, behind the couch.

I hear him shift on the floor. "I have a proposition."

Lookin' over my shoulder I lift an eyebrow, "That is?"

"If you can find a date other than Aasu, that is Hinata's friend, I'll tell Aasu to take a hike and you bring your girl so you can do me the favor." He batted his eyes at me after spewin' the proposal. I smack him for that 'n' I think about it for a minute. An Inuzuka rarely declines a favor, Ma always said so, 'n' this way I won't have to talk to Aasu about her damn cat 'n' the family of flees livin' on it. "Fine"

Naruto jumps up 'n' runs to the door, "Good! Start looking, the date is on Saturday."

"But tomorrow is Saturday!"

Naruto grins 'n' yanks the door open, "Good luck!"

I send Akumaru to slug him.

I finally decide to get up once Akumaru returns, Naruto's pants in mouth. I pet him, "Nicely done." We wags his tail 'n' lays on the couch. "Well I'm going out." I call over my shoulder as I walk to the door. "Don't wait up for me, I'll be out late." He barks in response 'n' I'm out. After lockin' the door I look over at the busy street, at all the girls walkin' by. As I step into the street I think out my possibilities. Someone I know or some random chick? The most awkward situation would probably be with some random girl on the street. Okay, she'd have to be someone I knew. Kunoichi or civilian? Well, I know few civilians 'n' they're all a bore. Kunoichi it is. Comrade or not? That's a tough one. Kunoichi are hard to approach as it is, even if I know them, but most of my comrades are pretty bitchy, in exception to Hinata.

"Kiba!" I hear a feminine voice call my name. I turn 'n' see three feminine figures sitting at a tea shop on the main street. Sakura, Ino, 'n Tenten. Before I approach them I weigh my options. Should I or shouldn't I? Maybe I can decide once chattin' them up a bit. I walk over. "Yo."

"Fancy seeing you here." Sakura smiles softly.

"Yeah." I sit down in the empty chair between Ino 'n' Tenten.

"Haven't been out much have you?" Ino asked, lookin' at me through steamy blue eyes.

"Nothin' besides missions, gettin' groceries, walkin' Akumaru, 'n' goin' to see Hana..." I trail off. The Inuzuka compound just hasn't been the same. I can tell the three are sympathetic, I can smell it radiating off of them. "Other than that I've been home." Yeah right, that dump of an apartment ain't no damn home. Home was with Mom 'n Hana.

Tenten leans towards me, "Well, at least you're stable." I nod yes. Not really.

Sakura looks at her watch 'n' then stands up, "Well, my break is over." I just notice her tan colored hospital scrubs. "Thanks for the tea, Ino. Bye girls." I study her from behind. Her figure isn't all that but it's nice, if you're into twelve year olds... with ass. No. I couldn't... She turns. "And it was nice seeing you, Kiba."

"Yeah, take care." I call after her. We wave at her once she's a distance away, smilin' at us. Her face is cute, though... No, too late.

"So..." Ino catches my attention, "What brings you out into the real world this time?"

"I got tired of bein' at home, I guess." Lie.

"Oh." She smiles, "Well you're in good company." Her smile is sweet.

I look at Tenten, she seems distracted.

"Is everythin' alright?" I ask, not sure if I care.

She looks startled.

"Don't mind her!" Ino wiggles her nose, "she's fuming over a lovers' quarrel."

"Hey! It's not just some silly quarrel!" Tenten protests, "Neji ignored me for some stupid competition!"

"Oh really?" Ino twirled her long hair with her finger, lookin' less interested than I was.

"Yes! Lee convinced him to go along with 'new training', they're carrying elderly people on their backs and racing!"

I kinda wanna laugh, but hold back. Tenten knows how to handle weapons pretty well. But Ino didn't hold back. She almost fell out of her chair, her golden strands of hair swayin' as she settled herself right. "What a dork!" I can see both girls goin' red, Tenten from what looked and smelled like embarrassment and anger, and Ino from laughin' too hard. If I was brave enough to laugh at the weapon friendly kunoichi I'd probably be red, too. Then we'd all look like we ate Ma's super special spicy mustard.

"Well," Tenten seemed to calm down. "I think I'll be going now." She stood up. She has perky little breasts. Eh... At least they're perky... No! Stop. Hyuga would kill me. "Bye!" She stomps off.

"Aw! She didn't even thank me for tea!" Ino giggles a little.

I look at Ino. The least likely person. Ino Yamanaka. Ice Queen of Konoha. Bitchy as can be. Vain. Self centered. Controlling. Biggest ego of all the kunoichi in Konoha. Life sized Barbie doll. Blondest hair I've ever laid my eyes on. Prettiest blue eyes in all of the Land of Fire. Pale, soft lookin' skin. Nice rack. Shapely legs. Tone butt... No wait. Rude. Impatient. Stubborn... Strong willed. Cheerful... Painfully honest. Yet she can be kind 'n' caring, responsible, 'n' supportive... 'n' perfect? Perfect for me? ... Probably not.

"So would you like some tea?" She interrupts my thoughts. "My treat."

"No" I mess with my hair. "Thanks anyway."

"Don't mention it." She takes a sip of her tea, she does it in the most graceful way. After she puts down her cup she looks up at me, through her thick eyelashes. "Do you want to talk about..." she pauses, I don't know if she genuinely doesn't know how to say it or if she's purposely doing it to add dramatic tension, "_it_"

I slump in my chair, "Not really." Kind of a lie, but then if I should be talking about it, it should be with Hana.

"Then do you mind if I ask questions? Maybe to spark something. You need to let it out."

"Fire away."

"How do you feel?"

"I've been better."

She frowns, "Honestly, Kiba."

I sigh, "Are you going to pry me until I share my feelin's with you?" She nodded. "Fine" I shift a little, uncomfortable with talkin' about it. "I'm a damn train wreck. I have a hole 'n' I dunno if it's in my heart from all the mourin' or if it's in my gut from all the guilt I feel. I was selfish 'n' Ma needed me." Ino's eyes look glassy, I can smell more sympathy within her. "Ma's dead 'n' I was never around when she was sick." I stop 'n' look away into the street, "What kind of a son am I? She raised Hana 'n' me 'n' the dogs all by her lonesome 'n' how do I repay her? Movin' out for 'freedom', takin' missions that got me far away from her 'n' Hana, promisin' I'd come 'n' see her when I am home 'n' then goin' 'n' gettin' drunk 'n' stayin' out all night."

I stop once I feel a light hand on mine. "Stop it, Kiba." I look into her eyes, "You and you're actions weren't the cause of your mother's illness. She got infected with a rare chakra virus, the fever it produced mutated so severely that it overpowered your mother's immune system. You know this. It isn't your fault."

Before I know it I'm squeezin' Ino's small hand with both of mine, "But I wasn't there for her when she needed me. The last time I told her I loved her was when I was six, I'm twenty-two 'n' my mom's gone, I never got to tell her how much she meant to me. It was just a year ago 'n' I had all that time. She taught me how to be a man when my good for nothin' Pa bailed out. She feed, clothed, protected my ungrateful ass."

Ino squeezed my hands back, with both of hers, "Your mom knows you loved her. I know it, I've sat with her in the hospital numerous times. Trust me when I say that she was sooo proud of you, because you were finally taking care of yourself and taking responsibility for yourself, even those nights they picked you up from the bar and brought you into the hospital, intoxicated. She understood that you needed time to stay away." Ino starts rubbin' the back of my hand with her thumb, "Your mom loved you with all her heart. She'd always tell me, _"My boy's out there makin' me proud,"_ with that Kansai dialect of hers," I grinned then, I got Mom's dialect, Hana didn't. Ino noticed my grin and smiled at me. "I got to know her in those last few months, she was a great woman, strong, humorous, and surprisingly optimistic... kind of" We grinned at each other.

"She was." I agreed.

"I honestly mean it when I say your mother was a lovely woman."

"Thanks, Ino."

"Don't mention it." She looks out into the street, most of the villagers have left. "Well it's getting late and I better get going." She gets up and smiles at me, "Have a nice evening, Kiba."

"Yeah." I watch her turn to leave. Should I? Yes? No. Then again... She's a lot like she described Mom; strong, humorous, 'n' optimistic. Ino's a great woman herself... What he hell, I ain't got nothin' to lose.

"Hey, Ino!" I run up to her.

"Hm?" She turns to face me, her hair swayin' again.

"I know it's sudden notice but would you like to go out tomorrow? I have to do Naruto a favor 'n' take a friend of Hinata's or else I'll be stuck with someone I'm not into 'n' I just thought "Why not Ino?""

Ino looked a little skeptical, "I don't know."

"Aw, c'mon! I don't drink anymore. I promise I'll behave." I give her my trademark grin.

Ino smiles 'n' gives in, "I'd love to."

"Thanks, Ino."

"Don't mention it."

I wrap her in my arms, she is perfect for me.

"So do you want to come over to my apartment afterwards?"

"Mmm..." She hummed into my chest, "and do what exactly?"

"Make another Tsume?" I joke with fake hope.

I thought she'd smack me but she didn't, she just looked at me, "Well, I wouldn't mind going back for a while..."

"Reallyyy?" I grin.

"But don't mention it to anybody!"

"Oh, I'm gunna have to tell Naruto!"


End file.
